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Everton concede late penalty to give Sporting the edge in Europa League

Everton 2 Sporting 1

Tony Barrett

February 17 2010, 12:01am, The Times

If there was one man at Goodison Park on Tuesday night who knew how to time a declaration it was Steve Waugh, the former Australia cricket captain. There was no one in the Everton ranks with a similar sense of timing.

Everton’s decision to try to hold on to a two-goal lead could prove costly after a late away goal from Sporting left the European hopes of the home team in the balance. “They declared too early at 2-0,” Waugh said.

David Moyes, the Everton manager, did not disagree, chastising his team for failing to build on their lead and admitting that their chances of reaching the last 16 of the Europa League had been reduced by their failure to be more ruthless.